Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
$$ Billebaude,
run by patient Pascal, is a small, authentic Parisian bistro popular with
locals. The focus is on what's fresh, including catch-of-the-day fish and meats from the hunt
(availableinthefallandwinter).ChefSylvain,anavidhunter(asthedecorwillremindyou),
is determined to deliver quality at a fair price—and he succeeds. Try
filet de bar
(sea bass)
for your main course and
œufs à la neige
for dessert (€33
menu
, closed Sun-Mon, 29 Rue de
l'Exposition, tel. 01 45 55 20 96).
$$ Pottaka
is a snug eatery where in-the-know locals go for delicious Basque cuisine
at reasonable prices (€34
menu
, €19
plats
, reservations smart for Wed-Sat nights, 4 Rue de
l'Exposition, tel. 01 45 51 88 38).
$LeRoyal
isatinyneighborhoodfixture.Thishumbletime-warpplace,withpricesand
decor from another era, comes from an age when cafés sold firewood and served food as
an afterthought. Parisians dine here because “it's like eating at home.” Gentle Michele runs
thecounter while hustling Giles tendstothetables (€5omelets, €9
plats
,filling three-course
menu
-€13, closed Sat-Sun, 212 Rue de Grenelle, tel. 01 47 53 92 90).
$ Gusto Italia
serves up tasty, good-value Italian cuisine in a shoebox-size place with
a few tables outside. Arrive early or plan to wait (€12 salads, €14 pasta, daily, 199 Rue de
Grenelle, tel. 01 45 55 00 43).
$ Boulangerie-Pâtisserie de la Tour Eiffel
delivers inexpensive salads, quiches, and
sandwiches. Enjoy the views of the Eiffel Tower (daily, outdoor and indoor seating, one
block southeast of the tower at 21 Avenue de la Bourdonnais, tel. 01 47 05 59 81).
$ La Varangue
is an entertaining one-man show featuring English-speaking Philippe,
who once ran a catering business in Pennsylvania. He now lives upstairs and has found his
niche serving a mostly American clientele. The food is cheap and basic, the tables are few,
and he opens at 17:30. Norman Rockwell would dig his minuscule dining room—with the
traditional kitchen sizzling just over the counter. Try his snails and chocolate cake—but not
together (€12
plats,
€18
menu,
always a vegetarian option, closed Sun, 27 Rue Augereau,
tel. 01 47 05 51 22).
$ La Gourmandise Pizzeria
is a kid-friendly, cheap pizzeria across from La Varangue
(closed Sun, eat in or take out, 28 Rue Augereau, tel. 01 45 55 45 16).
The Constant Lineup:
EversinceleavingthevenerableHôtelCrillon,famedchefChris-
tian Constant has made a career of taking the “snoot” out of French cuisine—and making it
accessibletopeoplelikeus.Todayyou'llfindthreeofhisrestaurantsstrungalongoneblock
of Rue St. Dominique between Rue Augereau and Rue de l'Exposition. Each is distinct, and
eachoffersadifferentexperience andpricerange.Noneoftheseplacesischeap,buttheyall
deliver top-quality cuisine.
$$$ Le Violon d'Ingres,
where Christian won his first Michelin star, makes for a good
excuse to dress up and really dine finely in Paris. Glass doors open onto a lively and chic
eating scene, service is formal yet helpful, and the cuisine is what made this restaurateur's
